3.6 Operating on files

The File menu allows you to perform operations on files stored on disk. It is only available in tools which need to interact with the files you have stored on disk. These include the listener, editor, system browser, and file browser.

The default commands available in the File menu are described below. Note that in some tools, the File menu contains additional commands specific to that tool. Please refer to the relevant chapters for each tool for a description of these additional commands.

Choose File > New to open a new buffer in the built-in editor. If an editor window has not yet been created, this command also creates one. The new buffer is unnamed.

Choose File > Open to open an existing file in a new editor buffer. Where appropriate, a dialog appears, allowing you to choose a filename. If an editor window has not yet been created, this command creates one.

Choose File > Load, File > Compile, and File > Compile and Load to load, compile, or load and compile a file of Common Lisp source code. When appropriate, each command displays a dialog, allowing you to choose the file you want to load or compile.

Choose File > Print to print a file. Again, a dialog allows you to choose a file to print when appropriate. The value of the UNIX environment variablePRINTER is used to determine which printer is used.

Note: As described above, the behavior of each command can vary slightly according to the tool in which the command is chosen. For instance, choosing File > Print in the editor prints out the displayed file; choosing File > Print in the file browser prints the selected file; choosing File > Print in the listener prompts you for a file to print.